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Fatwa CenterThe ruling on using medicines that contain alcohol
Question
What is the ruling on using medicines like Dayquill and Nyquill to relieve cold and flu symptoms? It is over the counter. One of the active ingredients can intoxicate and give a high in large amounts. I'm not talking about the alcohol here but some of them have it. Worst case, what if you were sick and had to take this due to the illness and the lack of a substitute. Please look into this as this left me a little confused. Please do not refer me to other fatwas.
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad 
is His slave and Messenger.
Know that the criterion for the permissibility of taking medicines that contain an intoxicating substance is that the percentage of this substance in the medicine is very low and it does not intoxicate, the absence of an alternative medicine that is free of intoxicants, and that this medicine is dispensed to the patient by a trustworthy doctor as stated in a resolution of the Islamic Fiqh Academy of the Muslim World League in Mecca, and in the resolution of the Islamic Fiqh Academy of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.
Based on this, if you need to take such medicines to relieve severe cold and flu pains, not mild ones, and a trustworthy doctor prescribes them for you, and you do not find a permissible alternative, then we hope that there is nothing wrong with you taking them.
Allah knows best.
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